from the desk of rabbi joy levitt

executive director, JCC Manhattan

From the moment you walk into JCC Manhattan, you are walking into a community that will delight in your children, encourage their growth, and support your whole family. The beauty of the JCC is that, while the second floor is a fabulous world unto itself, filled with gifted educators and staff, wonderful materials, and a warm, nurturing environment, there are 10 other floors for you to explore, both on your own and with your family. After drop-off, perhaps you can carve out an hour to work out in the gym, spin in our spinning studio, or meditate on the seventh floor. In the evenings, take a rare moment out of your crazy schedule to enjoy a film, listen to a lecture, or take a class. On the weekends, the JCC reverberates with activities for everyone. Family swim, yoga, Shabbat dinners, social justice activities, and even shoemaking are but a few of the ways you and your family can engage in community here at the JCC.

The JCC pursues a powerful vision for 21st-century Jewish life. What does that mean? First, it means everyone is welcome in our community. It means joyful engagement with a tradition that is thousands of years old and yet remarkably new. It means finding ways to live more fully, with more purpose, and in a better connected manner to our highest selves through the lens of Jewish values. At the nursery school, it means challah in the cubbies every week, music in the common space welcoming Shabbat, and helping your children play with others, honor their teachers, give back to their community, wear costumes on Purim, and make their own haggadot on Passover. At the Saul and Carole Zabar Nursery School, we offer your family a pathway into Jewish life that is textured, diverse, and filled with opportunities.

When I am not roaming the building, I live on the 8th floor. I hope you will come visit with your questions and ideas for strengthening our community!